The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-09
Night Session.

Night Session.
The evening session of the convention
was n notable and brilliant event, equal to
any in the history Of this most worthy
association. The hour for the convention
TO be called 10 order was s o'clock D. M,
but long before that time the large court
room was crowdedly filled, with quite q
number OF elegant ladies and distinguished
citizens who had met to greet the learned
sanitarans and physicians from every sec
ton Of the country.
Promptly on time, DIR. Thornton, chair
man OF the local committee, with the Hon.
j. w. Clapp and President Sternberg cs-
coltcd Gov. Robt l.. Taylor through the
south door into the courtroom TO the pres
idcnts chair, amid prolonged applause
After the applause had abatcd DIR. Thorn
ton introduced the Rev DR.. Daniel, who
delivered an eloquent prayer inyok-
ing blessings on the phianthropic
association. At the conclusion of tho
prayer DR. Thornton, in brief and
complimentary speech, introduced the
Hon. j. w. Clapp, who, always profound,
sincere and eloquent, made one OF the best
OF his many good speeches, which was
partially spoiled in delivery by the fire.
guent and prolonged outbursts OF applause.
lie spoke US follows
HON. J. W. CLAPP's ADDRESS.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen Of the Amer
lean Public Health Association-The chief
| executive officer OF our municipal gov
eminent, being much 20 his regret aud my
own, unable 10 be present on this occasion,
the duty Of extending 10 you awelcOme as
/ the guests Of our city, has, ms you have Just
/ been informed, at lis request and that Of the
committee of arrangements, devolycd upon
myself, and IL is one that discharge with
| the greatest pleasure, as am not wholly I'M
/ acquainted with the history, purposes aud
| influence Of this association A somewhat
| irregular membership aud attendance upon
It's meetings enables me 10 testify that Il
| Is composed la the main Of earnest practical
philnnthropic and learned men, some OF
whom are lights of the medical profession,
aud Others who have made sanitary science
matter Of long and thorough study. An
nunlly for the last sixteen years has
the association assembled and given
20 the county and the cause VI humanity
the time and services NJ IT, members aud
the rich benefits Of H. lnhors without fee or
reward, except that which the generous heart
experiences from the exercise uf the noblcst
qualities Of our nature, such an orpnnila-
ton Is certainly entitled To the pro-
foundcst respect aud admiration Of all
and nowhere should those who compose Il
receive warmer recognition or more hos
pitablc reception than la the city whore you
are now assembled; aud In proof of this in
stead oi indulging In remarks ~ 10 the i'm
pprtancc " sanitary science IN thC abstract
as "a bcnciccut fundamentally for relieving
or, what i infinitely better, preventing. the
physical ills that aillct society and thus
contributing 10 the sum III human happi-
ness and the average duration Of life. |
can better meet the purposes uf the occasion
by brief reference 20 the cX-
prricncc Of Memphis within the last
lew years. When this association held
ia annual meeting In Nashville
la November 1879, for two successive years
had Memphis been dcsolntcd by the dreadful
scourgc Oi yellow lever, aud 80 desperate aud
/ hopeless did IT. condition appear that In
ono instance ut least the hcnrtlcss nnh VA.
/ ccndiary suggestion was offered that the
ilnmcs be- made 10 consume what the pesti.
lcucc had spared, aud thus, Ia one hugh
holocaust Memphis, like Is prototype upon
the Nile, should bCromc thing Of the past
Along with Drs. Porter and Thornton. whose
names, without dispamgcmcnt 20 Others, are
deserving al special mention In connection
with the sanitary redemption of Memphis
aud her present prosperity ! attended the
meeting referred TO-. and after an nddrpls
from prominent mcmbcrbf the association,
meant, We will suppose, In kintncss, but in
which our people were represented ~ STEPPED
In 9th aud Criminally negligent Of
the most ordinary precautions, ] addressed
the association In yindication and eV.
oncmtion of our city and a.
stricken inhabitants maintaining that
We did not occupy the position 81 oulpriis ar
bcFgnrs for public charity, but were unfort-
innate mthor than hlumahlc. aud that the
two gentlemen named, and myself. were In
attendance upon the association with view
a. learn the source of the calamitics that hal
hcinllcn ~, aud how Ia apply the remedy
aud the assurance WIS given that when this
Information, IT reliable character. wis OBJ
tanned, Frustrated aud impoverished ~ we
were, our people were heroic enough, by the
help ui God, tp struggle through our lnby-
rinth NJ trouble, and our city should hc
no longer % hyWurd aud term ~ rCprunch
For the attainment of our object We desired
that the association should appoint, or re
| Commend q committee competent 90 inycs.
| tirlic our situation aud advise ~ us to the
measures ut relief proper o. be- adopted
This request was, with kindly expression
ui sympathy, complied with by the ayocii.
ton. end just there was the turning point in
our history.
hIlN NNMf VIZ 7 ltHINNlll anu HflIlfINfN OF
the assJuatiun, gratefully remembering
your considerable feeling and action in the
hour ~ our surrat need, We greet your PRES
/ CnUr here with uufyignCl pleasure, and with
waruuiahlc pride aud satisfaction invite
| YOU o. contrast the melancholy wrrCk NJ
| 1870 with the busy prosperous. aud IN some
| respects model city that now iuyinlly halls
| YOU ms Us hunoud guests. Then II wis
/ upon the verge ut bankruptcy and financial
.f D.. L..
/ yidcd fur. aud Dos credit u above par. Then
nine miles ol dccnymg wooden pavement
| iillrl Us strCris, now We can exhibit Ia lis
stead twenty Eve miles NJ substantial stone
aud gravel Then thcro were within the
| city limits four miles private and defective
sewerage now the vaults that perforated our
| soil have OH been iillcd, and there an
iuriy.ii,c miles uf sewerage uncNCCllrd in
| quality belonging to the corporation with
corresponding suh.soil drain tiles. Then
there were some ten or twelve miles
~ horse car street railway, now
there are thiriynyc miles of the same
Kind, AMI in addition thereto thirteen
miles operated by steam, Then 10 was the
/ terminus Of four lines of trunk railways,
now, the cuuycrrinT point of more than
double that number mdiutiug tocycry point
" the compass With several Others In pro.
cess NJ construction, aud 10 accommodate
| the tmihc OF these grand arteries OF com.
| mertca yiaduct uCrle the mighty river
I that forms our western boundary u an o..
/ surrd event of the early future. Then the
| value ~ our annual wholesale and johbing
. trade was less than seventy millions II dol.
/ lar,, and the aggregate annual rvccipts VI
/ cotton les than 400 1909 bales. now the same
| character Of trade for the last commercial
| year aggregates siHo. OOO Oon and the receipts
" cotton were upward Of GOOlO, aud Tor
/ the current year will be between 10000 aud
100000 bales constituting Memphis the
| largest inland cotton market in the world,
and Third only Il not second, 10 any south.
/ crn seaport Then, with population rc.
/ duCcd by death aud removal. 10 less than